How video marketing helps businesses better connect with customers

BUSINESSES looking to engage with customers — especially those in the B2B segment — need video marketing. It’s a way to grab customers’ attention and demonstrate to them how things work.

In certain parts of Asia, such as China and Hong Kong, video marketing is crucial to doing business with customers — which is why many brands have built strong symbiotic relationships with local and international influencers.

However, in the B2B space, especially in the world of manufacturing, it’s hard to find influencers that have expertise in the right product domain and have enough of an influence on the audience within that segment.

As a result, businesses and marketers in this space are realizing quickly that they need to be their own hero — they need to create their own videos and tell their story to anyone who wants to learn about what they do and how they do it.

As we move towards a world where up to 83 percent of all internet traffic constitutes video consumption, these B2B manufacturers are making the right choice.

While some futurists will say that these companies are already behind the curve and need to focus on creating video content to be delivered via virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) platforms, the reality is that the bulk of evidence available right now suggests video marketing is most effective.

Prototyping divisions of multinational companies in the market for industrial piston systems, for example, might make a quick decision to buy a system worth US$100,000 if they simply see good video content about the capabilities of the product (and probably some user reviews on its function and use).

Similarly, vintage car restoration companies in the market for exclusive gear-makers might find that the equipment used by certain companies, as showcased in their videos online, might be suitable for their purposes and make an inquiry into the product.

How B2B companies can thrive with video marketing

On Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube today, you’ll find plenty of examples of B2B manufacturing companies showcasing their products, explaining how they work and why they’re better, and even showing behind-the-scenes footage of how large-scale industrial equipment is actually prepared for video shoots.

Upon reviewing the content, it’s clear that the best and most innovative marketers try to make the content more entertaining and build a rapport with the viewer than simply providing monotonous background commentary on the elements on-screen.

Here are three tips for B2B manufacturers looking to get started with their own video production to promote their brand and be their own hero:

# 1 | Be authentic

Today’s consumers are smart. They understand when they’re being sold to and can easily differentiate between content that aims to teach and that which attempts to embellish.

So, whether you’re speaking about a consumer product or a business product, trust them to lean towards videos that are genuine, humble, and authentic.

# 2 | Get out of your comfort zone

Creating videos requires brands and marketers to get out of their comfort zones. It means they have to create content in a new format, one they might not be used to.

Traditionally, B2B manufacturers haven’t shied away from video content. However, their productions have typically been longer than today’s platforms can accommodate reasonably.

Although social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter don’t really limit the duration of video content posted, studies suggest customer’s attention spans last no more than 5 minutes.

So, marketers must consider short format videos if they want to build an effective portfolio of video content for new-age media platforms.

# 3 | Don’t forget to have fun

Speaking of new-age video platforms, it’s important to remember that a lot of the buyers are millennials — in their late 30s and so. Many are even in their early 20s, meaning they’re part of the feared Gen Z demographic.

To ensure B2B manufacturers don’t fail to appeal to their audiences, they need to remind themselves to let loose a little and have a little fun.

Sometimes, a little bit of humor, some nostalgia, or some misplaced excitement could add more life to the content and make it entertaining — boosting its value in the eyes of the audience. It could also make it seem more authentic to viewers.